On Wednesday this past week, my soccer team (Don Bosco Senior Club) had a meeting with Brother Issac, one of the Salesians here in Gumbo who is in charge of the youth center. Br. Issac came to Gumbo a few months back, and has been meeting with the various parish organizations to see what they expect from him and what he expects from them.

The meeting was long – not only did it go on for two and a half hours, but it was conducted completely in Arabic. Since I have only been learning Arabic for about six weeks, it is fair to say I did not understand any of the main content being discussed. However, from hearing the tone of meeting and “mushkila” (the Arabic word for problem) repeated over and over again, I could tell that the two sides were not seeing things the same way. I felt caught in the middle, being a member of both the team and the Salesian community, but I did not even know what was happening. I am not sure what the meetings were like with the other groups, but I’m fairly sure ours was unique. Much of that can likely be attributed to the dynamic of our team. While some members of the team are students in the Don Bosco Schools here, many of the players are young adults of the parish who work during the day. It is in no way bad that they are part of the team and participating in the youth center, but they are not particularly the “youth” that the Salesians focus on.

Anyway, I talked to Br. Issac afterwards and asked what the meeting was about He said the main discussion was the team feeling like the youth center was not supporting them enough. Some examples included not having proper equipment (nets and balls) and not having transportation to away games. However, from Br. Issac’s perspective, the team is more than capable of supporting themselves, but the “mushkila” is their mindset. They are used to having everything given to them, and for good reason. During the civil war that devastated this country just a few years ago, NGO’s provided everything to the people, since they could not get it anywhere else. However, now that South Sudan is a new, albeit developing country, people are still adapting to what their “new life” is like. Br. Issac said that their mindsets need to change, and that the Salesians are a religious order to help, not an NGO to give.

Though the players were not thrilled with Br. Issac, and several questions were left unanswered, his message was received and taken in the end. After practice early Saturday morning, the captains each took turns addressing the team. Translated to me after by one of the guys, they announced they were collecting 30 South Sudanese Pounds (approximately 7 USD) from each team member for the needs of the team.

The core of the Salesian sites in South Sudan is institutions of learning, including schools and vocational training centers. Part of our job as missionaries is to not just help those we serve, but to teach them to help themselves.  I remember a quote from our orientation: “Missionaries should go where they are needed but not wanted and leave when they are wanted but no longer needed.” The goal here is to create a community that is able to help themselves so much so that we are no longer needed. Indeed, someday I hope we are no longer needed here in Gumbo, South Sudan.

On Thursday, Pope Benedict XVI announced the beginning of the Year of Faith. How perfect that my year of missionary work coincides with this important time in the Catholic Church. To be honest, one of the reasons I was interested in service upon graduation and ended up with the Salesian Lay Missioners was to deepen my faith. Several months back before knowing about the Year of Faith, when asked why I joined the SLMs, I wrote “I want to be a friend to the youth and to share the love of Christ with them. Through the SLM mission, I hope to be the light of Christ to South Sudan, and in turn become stronger in my faith.” After a few weeks in South Sudan, I know this year presents the opportunity to do all this, and the outcome will be extraordinary if I am willing to work for it.

Today at Mass, Fr. David preached about the Year of Faith, however he noted that having faith is not enough. Fr. David just returned from Rome yesterday, and was actually in the front row of a conference given by the Holy Father on the Year of Faith (I think he might have a good grasp on what it is all about). While it is in fact a year for us Catholics to deepen our faith, it is also a year for us to put our faith into action. I am currently reading Pope John Paul II’s Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio (Mission of the Redeemer), and though only through a couple chapters, one line really stuck out to me, “Those who are incorporated in the Catholic Church ought to sense their privilege and for that very reason their greater obligation of bearing witness to the faith and to the Christian life as a service to their brothers and sisters and as a fitting response to God.” If this is not a call to action, then I don’t know what is. We have the obligation to live our lives in the service of others by living our faith. While the physical work that I do here is important and needed, even more important is making that physical work spiritually driven though faith in action.

I have now been in South Sudan for a month. Wow does time fly! If you have been reading this blog, you are aware of all the amazing things that occurred in this past month, and how much I am enjoying everything. I want to share a few more things that are going on in my life. I am learning to play guitar, something that I am very excited about. I have never been musically inclined, and the only things on my “musical resume” are playing the recorder in grade school and the occasional karaoke performance (ok it was more than occasional the last semester of college), but so far so good and it will hopefully be a good way to connect with the children in the future. I have also become more involved on the Don Bosco Senior Soccer Team, practicing with them a couple times a week and even playing in a few games. It is a great opportunity for me to interact with some of the men my age, and play competitive soccer at the same time.

Though I gush about all the great things here, I have to admit there have been some struggles. Teaching high school level English to five pre-novices is not something I expected or “wanted” to do before coming here, but that is where the need is and where I am called to be. Relearning the material and then trying to teach it is difficult and exhausting. The language barrier is certainly frustrating at times. The weather continues to get hotter as we see the mercury reach triple digits (as if the 90s everyday was not hot enough). And the lack of variety in daily life is taking time to get used to. However, this week I was given a not so subtle sign of the importance of these struggles.

During our Jesus Youth prayer group on Friday, where teens from the community get together to pray, sing, and share, we read the bible passage for the week and some words really stuck out. Philippians 3:7-11 says, “But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” Two main points really stuck out; gains considered losses and sharing in Christ’s suffering. One of the reasons I was really excited for this year of mission was to get away from the so called gains in that I was used to in daily life in order to truly gain Christ. St. Paul additionally suggests that gaining Christ comes not only from faith to know Him and the power of His resurrection, but also the sharing of his sufferings, something which I am quick to forget. This passage is a perfect reminder of why I am here and strong encouragement to keep on keeping on.

One of the big things I worked on this week was a video highlighting the parish feast, so I though I would throw it here for you to enjoy. God Bless!

As some of you have already heard, an unwelcomed guest visited our house on Friday night. At around 10 PM while I was preparing for bed, I heard yelling and commotion coming from our courtyard. Unsure of what was going on out there, I turned off the lights and tried to peak out the window. After a few loud smacks, I heard my name called to come outside and that it was safe. Still unsure of what happened, I went to check it out. Lying at the bottom of the steps of our house was a three-foot long Puff Adder Viper (Africa’s Deadliest Snake) that the three guards “handled.” It turns out this snake was just outside my room minutes before. Even crazier than the event that transpired is the fact that it occurred on the eve of the Feast of the Archangels (Michael the protector, Gabriel the bearer of good news, and Raphael the divine healer).

At Mass the next morning while listening to the reading of Michael and the angels battling with the devil (The Deadliest Thing To Our Soul), the parallels between what happened the night before and the reading dawned on me. Whether the slaying of the deadliest serpent by our three guards on the eve of the Feast of the Archangels was a sign or coincidence, the event made me think of the presence of the Archangels in my life. How often do St. Michael and the Archangels protect me against the wickedness and snares of the devil? Daily I’m sure. How often do I fail to realize their presence and pray to them? Daily as well. However, the encounter with the earthly serpent was enough to show me that while we all go on with our daily lives, helping and doing battle on our behalf, the Archangels are among us.

On Thursday, the parish here in Gumbo celebrated the feast of their patron, St. Vincent de Paul. While I had no idea what to expect, I knew it was going to be big. The choir practiced everyday for what seemed like hours in preparation for the Mass and program that followed, and a bull was slaughtered during the ceremony the night before. Several tents were set-up outside the church for the overflow of people and for the events. The Mass was amazing, with lots of singing, dancing, and African yelling throughout the three hour-long ceremony. Many guests came, including the Vicar General of the Juba Diocese, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry on behalf of the Governor, and several groups of religious sisters, and after Mass they all came back to our house to enjoy the bull for lunch.

The program began around two, and included many speeches, traditional dances and sketches. After a long day outside, the final event was a Bari (the local tribe) traditional dance. The dance consisted of a few drummers in the middle, with lines of men and women slowly shuffling around in a circle. Several minutes passed watching the dance, and seeing more and more people from the crowd enter, Sister Antoineta told me to go join. When she tells you to do something you do it, so I got into the line of men though I’m not particularly fond of dancing. With the laughs and hollers of the people, I began to get into it, and decided to attempt “the jumps.” I had no idea what they meant, but I saw a pre-novice and seminarian doing it, so I figured I was in the clear (after I found out you are trying to out jump all the other men to marry the tallest girl). As my adrenaline started to pump, I kicked off my sandals and went for it (I’m in a light green shirt in video below). It was a moment of joy letting myself go and joining in the traditions of the community that so graciously welcomed me. As you can see and hear the crowd loved that I was involved, especially the women at the bottom of the picture.

After Mass the next morning, a middle-aged woman called me over and began talking to me about my dancing from yesterday. I only understood a few things that she said, but Brother Jackson translated for me. She essentially said that I was a natural, should join the Bari Tribe, and marry a tall girl from the village. I smiled and said thank you, not knowing what to say. At the breakfast table, the priests and community shared quite a few jabs and laughs as I told them what had just happened, but I was happy to know I was no longer thought of as a guest, but rather a member of the community.

While I am settled down here and feel at home, my body and mind are still adapting to the country and culture. The weather here is hot (in the 90’s everyday with a scorching sun) despite it being the “winter” here. In fact, it was so “cold” one of the mornings after Mass, that one of the locals thought it might snow (it was maybe in the mid 60’s). Arabic classes are also continuing, and though I am becoming more competent speaking to others, the best communication I do is still through a smile.

Last Sunday, a group of us traveled to Mogri (one of the sub-center parishes nearby) to celebrate the Eucharist. During the bumpy, hour and a half drive we passed through a few military checkpoints, saw a demining effort in progress, and even witnessed a couple monkeys in the middle of the road. We finally arrived at the “hanging church,” which was a small dirt area underneath a tree. To let the town know the Mass was about to begin, the “church bell” was rung, by hitting half of a bombshell with a hammer. During the Mass, dogs and chicken would occasionally walk in front of the alter, as herds of goats and cattle passed behind us 100 feet away. A little bit different than my usual Sunday mornings back in Sylvania, OH as you can imagine.

The week flew by once again. In addition to teaching, my website duties, and playing with the kids, I spent Tuesday morning with several others planting over 100 trees at the new Priests’ House and Wednesday hand washing my clothes. Yesterday, I went to the Preschool’s show, and heard them sing songs and tell stories of the animals in the jungle. It was such a joy to see these little ones, and reminded me of the shows of my younger siblings back home. Today, during a three hour-long celebration, I witnessed 44 beautiful children enter the Church through the sacrament of Baptism. Again, it was such a joy to share in such a special moment with the community, despite understanding few of the words spoken.

And despite all these somewhat difficult adaptations I am making, and noticing all these differences that are so apparent though my physical senses, I feel completely at ease and at home. Why? Because of the welcoming community and grace of God! While normally the change would be daunting, the feelings calmness and comfort fill me, and the presence of Christ strong knowing I am called to be here.

Goodbye until next time!

I have been here just a week, but it seems like it has been months (in a good way). The location is almost exactly what you might picture “Africa” to be like; grass huts, dirt roads, barefoot children with secondhand clothes. The community, both the Salesians and the Gumbo community, are very welcoming and kind which made for an easy transition into a completely new part of the world.  Within the Salesian community, there are three priests, one deacon (becoming a priest in December), nine sisters, three brothers, five Pre-Novices, another volunteer from India, and the four SLMs (Luke my site partner, Grace and Caitlin who are staying for a few weeks before heading off to Maridi, and me). As you can imagine, there is never a dull moment.

The days begin with meditation, prayer, and Mass each morning, followed by my duties of teaching and website management.  I also started taking Arabic classes, which is spoken by the locals, many of whom don’t speak English. By mid-afternoon all of the children come out to play, and the oratory begins. Within the first day of playing futbol with the kids, I became known as Messi (an Argentinean soccer player) because I wore the jersey of his club, am white, and have long hair like him. Today, after playing with the Don Bosco Senior team, I was asked to play in the match they have on Friday, and said yes though I have no idea what the match entails.

As far as my teaching duties go, I am teaching English, Methodology of Study, and Good Manners to the five Salesian pre-novices. They are all Sudanese men ranging from 19-25 who are beginning their journey to become Salesian priests.  It will be quite a challenge, as I did not expect to be teaching these subjects at this level, but hey, its what the Salesian mission is all about! I was also tasked with updating and maintaining the website for Don Bosco Sudan and South Sudan (donboscosudan.org), so feel free to give any comments or suggestions on it.

The food here is all very good. Breakfast is usually small, with some bread and eggs.  For lunch and dinner (the leftovers of lunch are dinner) we always have rice, with some sort of chicken or vegetable dishes as sides. The best part however, is the abundance of fresh fruit that grows on site, including passion fruit, guavas, papayas, bananas, and custard apples. I have yet to find something I don’t like.

There is so much more I could tell about, but here’s a start and thanks to all for the continued prayers and support!

The journey has finally begun! I safely arrived in Juba, South Sudan on Monday after long day of travel. The trip was anything but perfect. On my flight from Detroit to Washington D.C. at 5:45 AM, my seat was right next to the flight attendant’s station, which meant loud noises and bright lights, and led to little sleep (I only slept for a couple hours the night before). On the main flight from DC to Addis Abba, Ethiopia, my TV/entertainment system didn’t work, orange juice was spilt on my lap, and I barely got any sleep during the 13.5 hours.  On the final leg from Ethiopia to South Sudan, I was finally able to sleep. However, out bags did not arrive at first, only to come dripping wet and four hours later.  Despite all these minor inconveniences that usually would have taken a toll on me, I could do nothing but shake my head and smile with how inconsequential they were compared the happiness that consumed me.

After waiting a few hours for our bags at the Juba Airport (which consisted of one room with a waiting area outside) we met up with Fr. Ferrington, the Salesian we have been in contact with here. He took us for a bite to eat, and we eventually located our bags and made our way to the Salesian compound (I have updated the map on my homepage with the exact coordinates if you want to zoom in and take a look). We crossed over the White Nile and headed down a bumpy dirt road into the village of Gumbo, with smiles and waves greeting us along the way. After settling in, we went to Mass, followed by Rosary and dinner.

Once dinner was finish, we all went to bed, exhausted from the 30+ hours of travel. As I lay awake sweating from the heat and with a mosquito net above my bed, I could once again do nothing but smile, recognizing the many blessings God has bestowed on me and anticipating the journey ahead.

After hanging out with Joe in South Bend and my grandparents in St. Louis, I traveled back east to Columbus for the final sibling outing with Jack (24). As some of you may already know, Jack just recently became a seminarian for the Diocese of Toledo, and is in his first year of Pre-Theology studies at Josephinum in Columbus. As many of you also know, Jack has been my best friend over the last 22 years. We have shared many great memories over the years, from playing catch in the backyard, to Irish football games, to fun nights at Marquette.

In Columbus we went out for some dinner and a few coldies at Bodega. Due to busy schedules over the last few weeks, it was the first time either of us talked in depth since our new journeys began. We are both entering unique new chapters of our lives, and are sharing some of the same feelings of nervousness and excitement of what’s ahead. We talked about our thoughts on the next year, both for each other and ourselves, and what some of our hopes and expectations are over this life-changing time. It will be such a blessing to have my brother and best friend going through some of the same things that I will go through. Although we will be 7000 miles apart, we will still have each other to lean on and be able share in each other’s experiences.

For anyone interested in following Jack through the seminary, his blog is: http://maninthemarble.blogspot.com

Also, I figured I’d add the newest family picture to this site, so you can see the siblings I have been blabbering about and the wonderful parents who are raising us (take on their 25th Wedding Anniversary).

On Sunday evening I departed Toledo to meet up with my younger brother Joe (18) in South Bend. Joe is beginning his freshman year at Notre Dame studying Science/Business with the plan of Medical School in the future. Although I was bummed that he did not continue on the Kelly Boys tradition at Marquette, I was very excited for him to pave his own path at ND.

When I arrived Joe showed me around his dorm (Carroll Hall). I met his three roommates who were all nice guys, and met several of his other friends on the floor. We hung out and chatted for a couple hours in his room, and eventually went down to the chapel for 10pm Mass. After Mass we went to Reckers for a smoothie, and walked around the campus for a bit despite the rain. We ended up back at Carroll and went to bed; Joe had a busy day Monday with back-to-back-to-back classes beginning at 8:30 AM, and I had a busy day of traveling to St. Louis to visit my grandparents.

Though a short visit, it was nice to spend a few hours with Joe. He was feeling pretty overwhelmed with everything the first week of college brought, as many of us I'm sure have experienced. He realized how fast the classes move and how much material they cover, especially in Chemistry and Calculus. I told him to take everything one day at a time, and enjoy his college days (he was already a few days ahead in all of his classes, a position unfamiliar to me over 4 years at MU). College is completed best by finding balance between schoolwork, hanging out with friends, and sleep, even though there is not enough time in the day accomplish all three fully. Even though the work is important, it is just as important to make sure "the best 4 years of your life" don't pass you by.  As rocker Tom Petty said, "The work never ends, but college does..."